What U can do

We all play a part! Here are some things you can do to help:

Look for recycling bins! The library has recycling bins located throughout public and staff spaces. The University recycles Paper, Aluminum, Plastics #1-2, and Cardboard all over campus. Batteries can be recycled on level 2 in the Knowledge Commons. Departments can contact Campus Environmental Health & Safety for additional information regarding battery disposal and recycling.

Take the Pledge! The Office of Sustainability's Pledge provides you with an opportunity to commit to actions that will make the world better for you and future generations by living more sustainably.

Dispose of personal electronics properly and safely! Watch the University calendar each spring for the annual E-Waste / Electronic recycling event. Each year the University of Utah hosts an e-waste drop off event for campus and the surrounding community and collects a large variety of personal items from old TVs and microwaves, to floppy disks and cable wires. All e-waste is responsibly recycled. Previous years this has been done by Metech, a certified e-steward company. You can learn more about electronics disposal at http://www.ban.org. Community information can also be found at the city’s sustainability website: http://www.slcgreen.com

Go Utes! Like to go to football games? A group of ASUU students are gathering support for greater recycling at Rice-Eccles stadium. Please visit the link below and consider adding your voice to the effort. Every game 8 tons of waste is produced and none of it is recycled. Information can be found at: http://www.recyclericeeccles.com/

Looking to buy something new? 10 key questions to say “yes” to before purchasing a product:

Is this product needed?

Is this product non-toxic and safe to use?

Is the product practical, durable, well made, and of good quality?

Is the product made from renewable, recycled or post-consumer materials?

Pollution Solution for Summer! When combined with heat and sunlight, car exhaust fumes form photochemical smog, which is damaging to the environment and can cause severe breathing difficulties, particularly in asthma sufferers. On hot, sunny days leave your car at home for short journeys and try walking and cycling instead. It is a much better way to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine than sitting in a hot car. (Source: 1,001 ways to save the earth by Joanna Yarrow, Chronicle Books, 2007.)

Print less, print smart! The paperless society isn't quite here yet, but you can take steps to get there with a few simple workplace ideas:

Keep files on computers instead of printing them out.

When you do print, use Print Preview to be sure your document will print as you wish *before* you print it. This also lets you make sure you don't have any stray blank pages within your document.

Send e-mails instead of paper memos or notes. Or pick up the phone and call instead.

Print double-sided when you can and as often as you can.

Be Idle Free! What’s the worst gas mileage your car can possibly get? When you’re sitting at a red light with your engine on you are getting zero miles per gallon (ouch!). If you are familiar with particular stop lights or are waiting for a predictable amount of time; turn off your engine. Here are three myths about idling from the California Energy Commission:

Myth #1:Shutting off and restarting your vehicle is hard on the engine and uses more gas than if you leave it running. Reality: Frequent restarting has little impact on engine components like the battery and the starter motor. Component wear caused by restarting the engine is estimated to add $10 per year to the cost of driving, money that will likely be recovered several times over in fuel savings from reduced idling. The bottom line is that more than ten seconds of idling uses more fuel than restarting the engine.

Myth #2: Idling is good for your engine. Reality: Excessive idling can actually damage your engine components, including cylinders, spark plugs, and exhaust systems. Fuel is only partially combusted when idling because an engine does not operate at its peak temperature. This leads to the build up of fuel residues on cylinder walls that can damage engine components and increase fuel consumption.

Myth #3: The engine should be warmed up before driving. Reality: Idling is not an effective way to warm up your vehicle, even in cold weather. The best way to do this is to drive the vehicle. With today's modern engines, you need no more than 30 seconds of idling on winter days before driving away.